(2-Alkyl)acryloyl isocyanates represented by acryloyl isocyanate, methacryloyl isocyanate, and the like contain a polymerizable carbon-carbon unsaturated group and an isocyanate group in the same molecule. Since these functional groups react with different mechanisms to participate in various reactions, utilization of (2-alkyl)acryloyl isocyanates in the fields of synthesis chemistry, polymer chemistry, etc., is expected.
For example, European Patent Application No. 0177122-A (corresponding to JP-A-60-231644) discloses use of a (2-alkyl)acryloyl isocyanate for synthesizing a novel compound represented by formula (4): ##STR4## (wherein R's may be the same or different and each represents a lower alkyl group). (The term "JP-A" as used herein means an "unexamined published Japanese patent application.")
Further, European Patent Application No. 0177122-A (corresponding to JP-A-61-17554) discloses the use of a (2-alkyl)acryloyl isocyanate for synthesizing a novel compound represented by formula (5): ##STR5## (wherein R represents a lower alkyl group and Z represents an organic group having a tertiary amino group).
Both of the novel compounds respectively represented by formulae (4) and (5) have been proved to be useful in the fields of paints and plastics. It is therefore increasingly expected that other useful novel compounds will be synthesized from (2-alkyl)acryloyl isocyanates.
Although (2-alkyl)acryloyl isocyanates, which are expected to be effectively utilized, are stable compounds which are liquid at ordinary temperature, it is difficult to handle them. Specifically, the (2-alkyl)acryloyl isocyanates are extremely reactive with moisture in air and are thus readily denatured. In addition, the isocyanates have a strong irritating odor and tend to impair working conditions. Because of these, the (2-alkyl)acryloyl isocyanates should be carefully handled using a syringe, etc.